“She had already transported off. They were probably mad.”
I looked up at Ander. He was scarred, obviously a warrior, but he was not integrated like Prime Nial. Like Gwen and Makarios and everyone else on The Colony.
“The Hive don’t have emotions like that. They don’t get angry.” I’d been on The Colony long enough to have learned a thing or two. Plus I’d spent enough time with Olivia and Wulf to pick up quite a lot about his time with the Hive. I had asked questions of Wulf. Dr. Surnen. Even Braun, because he’d seemed eager for someone to listen. Mad? The Hive? “They weren’t angry. I can promise you that.” I thought about everything I’d heard about Gwendolyn Fernandez and the Hive and the things she could do. “Gwen doesn’t need a space suit. You know that, right? They probably thought they could kill everyone on board and she’d float out into space where they could just pick her up.”
“What do you mean, Gwendolyn does not need a space suit?”
I shrugged, the pain and anger warring inside me until I felt numb. “Ask Dr. Surnen.”
Jessica rubbed her hand up and down my back, and her touch was making me angry for no good reason. I didn’t want her touching me. I didn’t want anyone touching me except Nik and Sam, and they weren’t here. Weren’t ever going to be here again.
I needed to be alone. I needed to process.
I needed to curl into a ball and cry, and I didn’t need witnesses. I looked from Jessica to Ander and fought for control.
“I’m so glad you’re all right,” I told Ander. I was. Happy for him, for Prime Nial, for Jessica. In a very strange way, I was also proud of Nik and Sam. They’d protected Ander, insisted he transport away first because that was who they were. Protectors. Loyal. Perfect.
And gone.
Jessica popped up, went over to Ander and hugged him from the side. His arm went around her shoulders, and her head tucked into him. “I survived only because my guards and I initiated our transport beacons when we did, otherwise…”
“You would have been on the ship when it exploded. Just like Nik and Sam,” I stated, figuring it out.
“I would have, yes.”
“Then if you weren’t there, you don’t know if they’re dead,” I reasoned. “I mean, they could be alive. Injured. Maybe part of the ship blew away and they had to crash somewhere. Maybe the comms are down and we just don’t know.”
/> Ander shook his head. “They were in deep space, too far from any planet to survive the journey in such a condition. I am sorry, Lucy. There was nowhere for them to go.”
“They’re really dead,” I said, finishing what he couldn’t.
He nodded.
Jessica moved back to me, hugged me. “Honey, I’m so sorry.”
I didn’t know how I was supposed to feel. I’d only known Nik and Sam for two days. Heck, less than that. I’d only arrived on Prillon Prime less than forty-eight hours ago. Yet in such a short time, I’d not only met them but given myself to them and reveled in it. I’d held nothing back, for the first time in my life taking what I wanted. Feeling beautiful. Desired. Feminine. Worthy.
This thing with Nik and Sam was supposed to be a fling. A wild time. Fun. They’d changed that when they’d offered me the mating collar, when I’d felt their emotions, their desire, their possessive need to protect me. Fuck me. Please me. They’d ruined me, and now I didn’t want anyone else. I wanted them. They were mine.
“Wait!” I touched my finger to the collar around my neck. The one I’d accepted the night before. “I’d know if they were dead. I’d feel it.”
Both Jessica and Ander shook their heads, but it was Jessica who spoke. “Oh, honey. No. It’s not like that.” She touched her own red collar. “They’re not Hunters. The collars don’t work that far apart. I didn’t sense Ander was in danger or share the feelings he had when the Hive attacked. The battlegroup was too far away. I only knew of it when he arrived back at transport. I dropped my breakfast plate, the feelings hit me so hard. I ran out of the palace, my guards chasing after me to get to him at the transport station.”
I didn’t feel either Nik or Sam. Not positively or negatively. I didn’t sense them at all. The things I’d felt through the collar weren’t bombarding me now. Eagerness, need, pleasure, satisfaction, desire, happiness… all of it had been overwhelming the night before. Sitting here, it was as if the collar was a simple necklace, something pretty about my neck.
Something black. Something that would never change to blue.
“They didn’t claim me,” I admitted.
“I know, honey.” Jessica stroked my back.
Of course she knew. Everyone knew because my collar was black. Would always be black.
“I canceled the royal ball tonight, Lucy. Everyone is on edge. The Hive haven’t attacked that deep in Coalition space for months. The kings and queen of Viken have returned to their planet. Commander Karter and the others from Battlegroup Karter have returned to their ship to help with anything they can. Other Prillon fighters have been assigned new missions and transported out. Those from The Colony are waiting to take you back home. I got in touch with Olivia on Earth. She’s going to come back from there to be with you.”
“Right now?”
“Yes. They are already at the transport pad.”